Package arresting device



July 18, 1961 T. E. PITTS PACKAGE ARRESTING DEVICE Filed April 18, 1960 INVENTOR. THOMAS E. PITTS ATTORNEY United States Patent G chusetts Filed Apr. 18, 1960, 'Ser. No. 23,054 12 Claims. (Cl. 242--35.6)

The present invention relates to textile machines and more particularly relates to automatic winding machines and improved means for arresting rotation of the winding package of yarn upon breakage of the winding strand.

In the following specification and claims the term yarn is employed in a general sense to apply to all kinds of strand material, either textile or otherwise, and the designation package is intended to mean the product of a winding or twisting machine whatever its form.

In winding machines of the type having automatically operated means for detecting breakage in a winding strand of yarn and means actuated thereby for retrieving the broken end of the supply yarn and the end of yarn going to the winding package so that these ends can be tied together to continue the winding operation it is common practice to employ suction means for retrieving the broken ends preparatory to tying them. In the automatic winding machine disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,764,362, issued September 26-, 1956 to W. V. Goodhue et al. for Winding Machine" the winding package, upon breakage of the winding strand, is pressed against a brake surface, hereinafter referred to as a rest plate, where the package is brought to a stop by frictional contact. Subsequently, the package is transferred to a reverse roll where the package is caused to rotate in an unwinding direction. Suction means positioned adjacent the reverse roll function to retrieve the broken package end and withdraw a suitable length for knotting. Frequently, it has been impossible to retrieve the broken package end because it has become embedded or intertwined with adjacent wraps of yarn on the package. This condition results in failure of the broken ends to be reunited.

It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a winding machine having a device which will arrest rotation of a wound package.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a winding machine having a device which will arrest rotation of a wound package by frictional contact therewith but will not produce embedded or intertwined strands on the package.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a winding machine having a device which will permit a strand of yarn to be retrieved from a wound package by a vacuum means unimpeded by embedded or intertwined strands on the package.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a winding machine having a device which can be pressed against the surface of a rotating yarn package for arresting the rotation thereof wherein the surface of the device is constructed to prevent twisting or turning of the strand of yarn.

Other objects of the present invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of an automatic winding unit incorporating a rest plate having angular grooves therein;

FIG. 2 illustrates a modified form of rest plate;

'ice

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along lines IIL-HI of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 illustrates another modified form of rest plate;

FIG. 5 -.is a sectional view taken along lines V--V of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 illustrates yet another modified form of rest plate;

FIG. 7 is a sectional View along lines VII-VII of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a somewhat diagrammatical view illustrating a contact angle between a length of yarn and a rest plate surface for achieving minimum untwisting of the strands comprising the length of yarn; and

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 illustrating the length of yarn contacting the rest plate surface at the contact angle which would encourage maximum untwisting.

The present invention comprises an automatic winding machine equipped with a grooved rest plate. For convenience, a winding machine of the type fully disclosed in United States Patent No. 2,764,362, previously referred to. In the operation of the winding machine described in the cited patent, means fully disclosed in the patent operate to transfer of package being wound from a winding position to a non-rotatable rest plate whenever a supply yarn breaks or becomes exhausted. The rest plate affords means for bringing the rotating package -to a stop. The package is thereafter transferred to a reversing roll to unwind a length of yarn therefrom. Heretofore, rest plates used in conjunction with winding machines of the type referred to herein have been constructed as either flat rectangular plates or curved elements, all having a smooth uninterrupted surface. It has been found that when a rota-ting package has been transferred to such a rest plate the loose broken end of yarn tends to untwist as it is drawn over the surface of the stationary rest plate. This untwisting is greatest when the yarn is passed over the rest plate at such an angle that the helix of the fibers is parallel to the axis of the rest plate. Conversely, the tendency to untwist is least when the helix of the fibers is to the axis of the rest plate. Of course, the tendency of the strand to untwist varies as the angle of the helix of its fibers varies with the axis of the rest plate.

As a result of untwisting of the broken end of yarn fibers on the broken yarn become entangled with fibers protruding from adjacent strands on the package. This entanglement usually occurs in the broken yarn at some distance away from the yarn end. Thereafter, when the package is transferred to the reversing roll the broken end is picked up by the suction nozzle and the yarn begins to be withdrawn from the package into the suction means. However, when the point is reached on the yarn where the entanglement of fibers exists the suction means generally will not be sufiicient to dislodge the entanglement. Consequently, the yarn will be pulled out of the suction means and wrapped in a reverse direction on the package, thereby preventing tying of the two broken ends. Also, if this fiber entanglement occurs adjacent the broken end that end will never be picked up by the suction means, again preventing the tying of the two broken ends.

Accordingly, the present invention comprises an automatic winding machine incorporating a package arresting rest plate having lands and grooves formed on the surface at an angle to the axis thereof adapted to contact the package to frictionally arrest rotation thereof, and, simultaneously to eliminate or reduce any tendency of the yarns to untwist.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawing wherein is shown a winding unit as, for example, the unit fully dislink to a pivoting or swinging means situated within housing 22. Housing 22' is mounted on a frame or strand 24 which-may in like manner support a plurality of the described winding units. A drive roll 25 having helical grooves 26 in the periphery thereof is mounted for rotation on a shaft 27. Drive roll 25 serves to receive the periph-- ery of package 10 on its surface and impart rotation thereto. With a strand of yarn being fed through grooves 26;

helical wraps of yarn are laid on core 12 tothereby wind a package in an old and well known manner.

Upon breakage of the winding strand, or whenever the yarn supply becomes exhausted, package 10 is transferred from contact with drive roll 25 to be placed in surface contact with stationary rest plate 34. This motion takes place through link 20 responsive to actuation from mechanisms within housing 22 as fully described in said United States Patent No. 2,764,362. Package 10 is permitted to skid to a stop on rest plate 34 whereupon it is transferred into surface contact with a reverse roll 28 which is constituted as a rotatable shaft journaled parallel to the axis of rest plate 34 and rearwardly thereof. Reverse roll 28 is adapted to be continuously driven by any suitable means and in a direction opposite to that of drive roll 25. A suction nozzle 34 positioned adjacent reverse roll 28 extends longitudinally of said reverse roll and is adapted to exert a constant suction in the area adjacent package 10. It will thus be understood that as package 10 is rotated by reverse roll 28 suction nozzle 30 will act to lift the yarn end away from the surface of package 10 and to withdraw it into the nozzle.

Rest plate 34 is shown in FIG. 1 as being fixed forwardly of reverse roll 28 in a bracket 36 by means of threaded stub end 38 and nut 41 which may be formed integral with said rest plate 34.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 rest plate 34 is illustrated as having a plane surface. A plurality of lands 39 and grooves 46 are formed on that surface of rest plate 34 which is upwardly adjacent drive roll 25. Said lands 39 and grooves 4% are directed transversely across the surface of plate 34 at an angle to the axis thereof whereby, when viewed along the longitudinal axis of plate 34 and land 39, grooves 46 incline to the right.

Referring to FIG. 2 a rest plate 42 is illustrated asa modified embodiment of the package arresting means of the present invention. It will be understood that the general positioning of rest plate 42 by its stub end 44 would be in bracket 36 in a manner similar to rest plate 34, Rest plate 42 has a plane surface on which are inscribed a plurality of lands 45 and grooves 46 running transverse to the longitudinal axis thereof and slanting to the left when viewed along the horizontal axis of said.

plate 42.

FIGS. 4 and 6 illustrate additional modified embodiments of the package arresting means of the present invention. The rest plate 48 of FIG. 4 is comprised of a curved member (see FIG. 5 and has lands 49 and grooves 50 inserted on the curved surface thereof so that the grooves incline from left to right when viewed along the longitudinal axis of said plate 48. Plate 48 is adapted for mounting in a manner similar to plate 34 on a winding machine by means of stub end 52 of said plate. FIG. 6 illustrates a rest plate 54 constructed similarly to plate 48 but having a plurality of lands 55 and grooves 56 formed on the curved surface thereof and having an angle of incline to the left as viewed along the longitudinal axis thereof Rest plate 54 is positioned to correspond to the location .of rest plate 34 in the mannerpreviously described in connection therewith by stub end 58.

The rest plates disclosed in FIGS. 2 and 6 are adapted ,to

be. used in conjunction with yarnshaving twist opposite to.

the twist yarns used with rest plates 1 and 4 respectively, all as will become more apparent hereinafter.

It will be apparent that any embodiment of the package arresting means described herein may be modified by altering the number of grooves and the spacing thereof as well as adjusting the angle of incline of said grooves to accommodate any particular yarn to be wound on the winding machine.

The foregoing apparatus operates in the following described manner. To prepare the winding unit for operation a package core 12 is placed on mandrel 14 and secured in place thereon for rotation therewith. A strand of yarn is led from a suitable supply source and laid in a groove of drive roll 25 whereafter it is secured to core 12. Package core 12 is thereafter placed in full contact with drive roll 25. With drive roll 25 driven by a suitable source of power through shaft 27 package core 12, in frictional contact with drive roll 25, is thereby caused to rotate. The strand of yarn engaged in groove 26 of drive roll 25 will be traversed from end to end of core 12 to deposit the strand in helical layers on said core 12. Upon a break in the strand or exhaustion of the supply the winding package is caused to shift away from drive roll 25 and into surface contact with rest plate 34.

As previously indicated, in accordance with the present invention the helix of the fibers of a strand to be wound onto core 12 should engage the lands and grooves of the rest plate at to produce minimum unwinding as diagrammatically shown in FIG. 8, where the member 60 represents one of the lands on the rest plate of the present invention. Strand Y is shown in the preferred position wherein the helix of the twisted fibers is at an angle of 90 to land 60. FIG. 9 illustrates a yarn strand Y contacting rest plate land 62 in a manner whereby the helix of its fibers are parallel to the plane of the land. As strand Y is passed across segment 62 along the path shown in FIG. 9 maximum untwisting will result in the strand because the edge of said land can engage between the yarn fibers to scrape the twist back along the yarn. On the other hand land 60 of FIG. 8 being at 90 to the fibers will get very little grip on the yarn.

The rest plate for the winding machine of the present invention is thus capable of acting in the manner described to provide a reliable means for stopping rotation of a package which has been shifted into surface contact therewith from a rotating means. Simultaneously therewith, the rest plate is capable of reducing untwisting in the winding strand and, a a result thereof, will reduce the tendency of adjacent fibers to entangle.

Since certain changes may be made in the above apparatus without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in the limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. In a winding machine, means for rotatively supporting a package, means for rotating said package, and arresting means having lands and grooves therein adapted to engage the surface of said package for arresting the rotation thereof.

2. A winding machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said lands and grooves are at an angle to the axis of said arresting means.

3. A winding machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said arresting means has a plane surface.

4. A winding machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said arresting means has a curved surface.

5. A winding machine as set forth in claim 2 wherein said arresting means has a plane surface.

6. A winding machine as set forth in claim 2 wherein said arresting means has a curved surface.

7. In a winding machine, means for rotatively supporting a package, a driving means for rotating said package in a winding direction, .reversingmeans for rotating the package in an unwinding direction, means for shifting the package from said driving means to said reversing means, and arresting means comprising a surface having lands and grooves therein interposed between said driving means and reversing means to be engaged by said package to stop winding rotation thereof prior to its engagement by said reversing means.

8. A winding machine as set forth in claim 7 wherein said lands and grooves are at an angle to the axis of said arresting means.

9. A winding machine as set forth in claim 7 wherein said arresting means has a plane surface.

10. A winding machine as set forth in claim 7 wherein said arresting means has a curved surface.

11. A winding machine as set forth in claim 8 wherein said arresting means has a plane surface.

12. A winding machine as set forth in claim 8 wherein said arresting means has a curved surface.

No references cited. 

